“We've reached an indefensible, unsustainable situation,” said William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor of the University of Maryland and co-chair of the commission.

The survey of presidents at schools with major football programs found:

• 85 percent said salaries are too high for football and basketball coaches.

• 80 percent support financial changes for college athletics, but say they aren't sure what should be done.

• Only about 25 percent believe the status quo is sustainable, although most said things are better on their campuses than elsewhere.

The Knight Commission was created 20 years ago in the wake of a series of scandals in college sports — low graduation rates and charges of cheating, payoffs and drug abuse. Many of its proposed reforms have been adopted, including tougher academic standards for athletes and more control for presidents.

Now it's looking at the money behind athletics. The commission surveyed 95 university presidents from 11 athletic conferences, including the Big 12 — home to Texas and Texas A&M — and Conference USA, home to Houston and Rice.

Kirwan said the commission will recommend changes next spring.

“Athletic expenditures are rising three or four times faster than expenditures in academic programs,” he said. “That's obviously not something that can continue.”

Kirwan was optimistic about the chances for reform after Knight Commission members heard Monday from Dutch Baughman, executive director of the Division IA Athletic Directors Association.

Kirwan was optimistic about the chances for reform after Knight Commission members heard Monday from Dutch Baughman, executive director of the Division IA Athletic Directors Association.

“He said very clearly, we must reform the fiscal model of intercollegiate athletics,” Kirwan said.

Eighty percent of schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision, a group previously known as Division IA, lose money on athletics, Kirwan said.

But not Texas. A report last spring by the Texas Comptroller's Office found UT turns a profit on its $125 million athletic budget.

Texas A&M, with a $69 million athletic budget for fiscal year 2009, said it is close to being in the black. The athletic department will have to begin repaying a $16 million, no-interest loan from the university next year, made in 2005 to cover emergency repairs and utility costs.

Football coaches from both programs illustrate the divide between athletics and academics. UT's Mack Brown will earn $3.1 million this year; A&M's Mike Sherman will be paid $1.8 million. Both could get more if certain benchmarks are met.

Coaching salaries are tricky, said Gerald Turner, president of SMU and co-chair with Kirwan of the commission, noting university presidents can't accomplish much unless all schools in their conference agree to rein in salaries.